Machine for forming resistor leads



Nov. 7, 1944. H. N. vELEY MACHINE FOR FORMING RESISTO LEADS Filed June 2, 1942 l 2 3 22 17.4 /74 as,I4 E 28 2024 44 sse] 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 NOV. 7, H N. VELEY 2,361,983

MACHINE FOR FORMING RESISTOR LEADS H. N. VELEY Nov. 7, 1944.

` MACHINE FOR FORMING RESISTOR LEADS Filed June 2, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 oooooooooo oooooooooo ooooooooo Patented Nov. 7, 1944 LoFFICE 'MACHIN E FOR FORMING RESISTOR LEADS Hugh N. Veley, St. Marys, Pa., assignor 4to Speer Resistor Corporation, St. Marys, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application mme 2, 1942,seria1No, 445,460`

15 Claims.

This invention relates to amachine for making s lead wires particularly foruse in `rriolded type resistors,

Molded type resistors of :the `type largely used in radio apparatus `are composed of "bodies of thermoplastic material Vincluding conductive -ma- I 'terial to give rise to various `resistances `ranging from a few 'ohms to several megohms. `These resistors, whether of insulatedloruninsulatedtype, are provided with lead wires generally of ftinned copper embedded in the ends thereof and projecting in such fashion as to`be connectible fin `electrical circuits. In order to'achieve the necessary strength of construction :the embedded heads of these leads areenlarged'in'some fashion, vpreferably'- hy'being bent so as'notzto beeasily pulled `foutfcfthe resistorbody. 4

` 'It 2isthe general object ofthe presentinventionY to provide a machine for automatically forming suehleads from continuous wires vin such fashion Y'a's'fto'secure uniformity with the-ultimate object o'fhaving the final resistors as uniform as possible in `resistance values.

A further object of the inventionis .to provide in-a` machine of 'this character means ,-forso ar- `ranging the formed leads that theyrnay `be'conlveniently located in molding apparatus without rthe `necessity for theirindividual handling.

Still another object of theinventionis .provision of such leads of a particular advantageous lshape to lsecure the maximum-strengthsof :the-final resistor and uniform projection of the leads into the resistance material.

' These and other 'objectsfof the invention particularly relating to details of construction `and operation of the machine will become-,apparent "il frornthe following description read in conjunction 'withthe accompanying` drawings in which:

l Figure 1 is a verticalsectionthrough'a'machine constituting a preferred embodiment ofthe invention, this 'figure-as well as othersbeing diagrammatic in `omitting certain irrelevant `supporting parts;

Figure'-2is a 'vertical section showing theupper portion `of the machine and taken 4on `the plane the trace df which'is indicated: at 2in Figure `1;

" *Figure isia'sectionvsimilar tofthat of Figure2 but taken onfthe plane indicated'at'f3'1in1Figuref1; Figures 4A to-4H `inclusive area seriesof4 dialgrammatic "sectional fyiews particularly showing the successive steps in the formation'o'f a lead;

Figure'is an enlarged-section* taken also substantially on'the plane indicatedfati'inlFigure l 'fand showing f the 1elements for formingl the 'bent Yheads `of 4the leads;

Figure 6 visa horizontal-sectionalview diagrammatic in form `showing the operating means for the various parts of the machine;

Figure i'l is a horizontalsection taken on the `broken plane'iindicated at 'Ti--l of Figure 8 and showing `the receivingkrneanslfor' the leads; and

Figure 8 isavertical `section Ltaken o n the plane indicated at` 8-8' in Figurer?.

The machinecomprises a `ftablefZ supporting 0 `the various operating` parts, including a support (not shown) Vfor spools supplying "wires from which the leads are to be formed. `The wires from these spools, indicated )at W, pass beneath la guiding bar 6 and -aboyej-a supporting block 4;

which carries the bar 1,6; l The supporting block 4A carries -a` guide lmember `li, provided With vopen'- 4ings through which the various wires VW extend and loeyondv which they liein substantialparallelism through the rhandling and severing mechanisms.

, vIn front of the vblock `4 gthere -is located a slide I0 guided 4for rforward ,and `Iback'ward movement on 'the `table 2'. Journalled in-thei slide I-0 `are a plurality of rollers I 2 l.provided -w-th I circumferentialgroovesponefforeachmwire` `Arranged to coalternately the upper `and `lower rollers musttake a-slightlyrwavy path inthe grooves lthereof;

Beyond -these rollers the wires `W extend over ahorizontal plane portionof the slide I0, where on-a rod-26 extending betweeniupstanding brackl ets L20 carried `by :the slide Il!` and carry feeding `pawls f 254 provided with sharpened `beveled lower points'engageable individually with `the wires.

The Vpivoted blocks `24 are-urged `in a clockwisedirection, asviewedfiniigure 1,' by means of individuallspringsf28lconnected-:between'them and a a guide =bar "35 provided fwith individual openings for -the `wires and carried loy a "supporting After' member 3,4 secured flxedlytolthe `table 2. passing from the/openings inftheguide 35; the wires Jpass over a Aclampingmember 38 provided with a serrated upper surface above which, and

adapted to clamp the wires, are individual wire clamping elements 40, urged individually downwardly by springs 42 and guided in a cross-bar 44, the members 40 being provided with heads 46 arranged to limit their downward-movements. The bar 44 is guided at its ends upon studs 48 and is urged upwardly by springs 46 surrounding these studs. Connecting the upper ends olf the studs 48 are cross-members 50 to which are pivoted cams 52 adapted to engage lugs 54 ex-v tending upwardly from thel bar 44. Above their pivots these cams 52 are pivoted to a link 55, which is connected through a link 56 with the upper end of a lever 51 operated as described hereafter.

Suitably guided for sliding movement across the front of the machine are a pair of slides 58 and 60. The former of these slides carries at its lower surface a plate 62, on which are formed a series of presser members 65 corresponding individually to the wires W, these taking the form of ribs extending parallel to the direction of extent of the Wires. 'I'he slide 60 has secured thereto a member 64, which alsoY carries a group of presser elements 68 in front of the elements 66. Both the elements 66 and 68 slide on a plate secured to the supportr34. This plate 10 is also provided with clamping elements 12 extending upwardly therefrom in the form of ribs parallel to the direction of extent of the wires adjacent the clamping elements 66 and 68, forming with them spaces between which the wires may move and in which the wires are, at suitable times,

clamped. A group of pins 14, also corresponding individually to the wires, are journalled in openings in the plate 10 attheir upper ends and are suitably mounted in bearings at their lower ends. Each of these pins is'provided with a lug 16 adapted to form a hook on each lead as described hereafter. These lugs 16 take the form illustrated in Figures 4A and 5. Each of the pins 14 is provided with a driving pinion 18, these pinions 18 being vertically staggered as indica-ted in the drawings for the purpose of saving transverse space on the machine. The pinions are designed to be rotated at proper times by means of a rack 80 slidable transversely across the front of the machine by cam means hereafter de- The formed and severed leads are arranged to be received and guided by a member 84. which extends across the front of the machine and is provided with receiving openings 86. individual to the wires, which serve to cause the wires to enter individual tubes 88 communicating at their v lower ends with openings in a transverse bar 90. located below the level of the table at the front of the machine. Below the location of the bar are forwardly extending tracks 92 along the outside of each of which there is guided for reurged inwardly by springs |00 and having their operating ends projecting through slots formed in the walls of the tracks. Each of the slides is provided with a depending lug |02, connected for the actuation of the slides as described hereafter.

Above the location of the slots through vrliichl the pawls work, the tracks are provided with! spring members |04 of wavy form adapted' tol impose friction upon removable blocks |06 aclranged to be guided for movement in the tracks;- These blocks |06 are associated with upper guide blocks |08 with which they are properly aligned by means of pins and holes, indicated at ||0, so that lead wire receiving openings ||4 of the blocks |06 are axially aligned with corresponding holes ||2 in the guide blocks |08. Each of the blocks. |06 has secured thereto a pan member |6 arranged to keep the finished leads from dropping out of the openings H4.

Operating motions are applied to the various parts'of the machine from a series of shafts' H8, |24 and |28, the shafts ||8 and |24 being corrnected by bevel gearing |22 while the shafts if?) and |28 are connected by bevel gearing |211'. The shaftv||8 carries a sprocket |20 throughl which it is rotated from a motor through reduction gearing (not shown). The shaft ||8 carries three cams |30, |32 and |34, the shaft |24 carries a cam |36, 'and the shaft |28 carries a pair of cams |38 and |40, all of suitable shape to provide the various proper motions as will be hereafter described.

The cam |32 acts on a follower carried by al lever |42 which is connected through a link.' 44) to an arm depending from the slide |0.

The cam |34 acts similarly on a follower` car-l ried by an arm |46 which is connected through a link |48 and bell crank |50 to actuate the knife 82.

The cam |30 acts in similar fashion upon a follower carried by a lever |52 which is connected through a link |54 to an adjustable block |56 clamped upon an arm |55 secured to a rock shaft |51 which carries a pair of levers |58 connected by individual links |60 to the lugs |02 depending;-

is held in contact with the cam by means of spring |68. The upper end of the lever 51 is not only connected to the link 56 previously described but is also connected through a second link |16 to the slide 58.

The cam |40 engages a follower carried bythe depending arm of a lever |12 which is urged in clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 3 by a spring |10. The upper end of this lever |12 is connected by a link |14 with the slide 60.

In the operation of the'machine the various parts are so timed by the proper design of the cams to effect the feed of the wires W, straightening of the wires. formation of heads Hy severance of leads L, and the location of these leads in the openings ||4 of the block |06. For this purpose the slide |0 is reciprocatedback and forth, having a backward movement at a time when the wires W are clamped by the individual clamping heads 40. Under these conditions the rollers |2 and I4 ride over the stationary wires maal-toss fizIrifthe subsequentiorward.movement of: the y slide,.=i. e., to the-right asviewed inili'gure "Lathe sharpened ends of thenA pawlsf grip: the. `Wiresv and feed them forwardly; thelwires fbeingf. releasedf at this time. l

YDuring the-time when the Wireslareic'lamper by the-imember's' 401; and the slide Il isfmovingfrear wardly thefheads .H aretormed by the successive sequentialzioperationsiindicated im .FiguresAA to 4H', inclusiveiy- In 'Fligur'le 4Ai2the partsare'shown in the conditions@assumed` immediately after a severing-v operati'on which. I. follows thee RVcompletion oi-the forward movement otlthefslide.. I0. s Atthis timel theclamps: 10s are.1 about to beifengagediand the? wire' W' isi-disengaged by Yboth tliefribs` 06 and tliepvressex" elementss 6&1, extending-among. uthe clampingsurfaces ontheribsln;

."The:next'stepl'illustrated inJFigureaAB is `the clamping oi the wires,l by .the ribs, nagainstnthe :isE'ol'lowing athis .operation 1 the: various presser elements. 08 are withdrawn as indicated inpFignre 4D.;1and1 thereafter;A as indicated in.` lillsfthe:` pins 'Mirotate approximatelythrougha `iurther 90: de'- greesafbeyond the :original wright. :angle `bendto bendtheeend oathe :wire to acomplete the:` formationoithehooksH astindicated..

- :.Tlia pins 1:4 farethen reverselyirotatedz.through 180 degrees to their originalupositions; this rota- .tion..bein`g .indicated in progress in Figure 4F. When they reach their nal positions illustrated in Figure 4G the wire is caused to be released by both the ribs 66 and the clamps 40 and is fed forwardly by the movement of the slide I0 as indicated in that gure. When a proper length of lead has been fed forwardly the forward motion of the slide I0 ceases and the knife 82 is moved upwardly to sever the completed leads which fall head first into the corresponding tubes 88 to be guided into the row of openings II2 in the upper block |08 and thence fall into the openings H4 of the lower block I 06 to be arrested by the pan H6. At this time the blocks are in stationary position, being moved step by step to align successive rows of openings I I 2 with the tubes 88 during the head forming operations previously described.

It will be evident that thus the variousI leads are automatically formed and filled into the block |06 which is removed from the machine and used to locate the leads in plungers carrying central cooperatingwith.` thebevelf edge 12f` of: eachrrib "i iled aDecembr'f .13', 1940.1 4machine .may'con tinuously run-1 without. .attention save for the lo'- c'ationof new'pairs' of receivingFblocks |06 and .1.00 in the 'stracks 02 #intel which-other? 4a1-'e placed by an operator: ".-By .theprovision of 'the Pair" of pawls 981 iti twill.l be levident that these 'blocks are fedy insuccession'below the ytubes" 88.; overrun in the. feeding. beingfpr'evented by the-wavy. springs 0:4. which@ supply the `necessary i friction.

hlt wiltbewcleanthat. the mechanism rdisclosed l herein is merely illustrative 1 and that. the `princples of the invfentioneinay` becarried 'out in vari'- vous ways 'withinfthexscope ofthe following-claims.

:What Iclainr is z.

1f; In'wcombination., aat'pair oiclampfelements, meansziforfieeding a wire between said clamp elements; means for efrecting engagement ofthe wire by.fsaid'-zcl'amp.` elements, a third clamp element cooperating with one of the iirst` mentioned clamp elements trs deectalportion of' theiwire to one side ofthe-portion located :between the' iirst 'mentioned clamp elements, means for' engagingothe end ci) the vwire beyond-said third'clampelement toibend, the;;same in adirection opposite said dei iection;- effected by. the thirdclamp element, i and means .forrcontrollingi `the third-clamp'. element and. the elast. :mentioned Imean's to effect inl-sequence: saidfrdeflectionf. and 1 completion'.` of." `the bending.`

2:1 In: combination, `aatlaiair oizclampfelement'sr, means for effecting engagement of ai wire by said clampelements, a thirdclamp' element. 'cooperating with one, ofszthe rstimentionedfzciampaelelments to `deiiectanoi'tion ofthewire to one1side ofthe portionlocatedbetween thefrst mentioned clamp elements, .means-:for engaginghthezL endof the wire. beyond saidA third zzrclamp.: element: to bendthe :same inta direction oppositezsaid deflect tion 1 efected :by .the thirdl` clamp. .'element;gand means fory controlling^ the. third clamp. element andthe. lastmentioned means to 1 effect. in sequence Vsaid deectionnand*'completion of fthe bending,

. 3\..In .combination-meansfior feeding a wire inthe direction ofthe length, means for severing sections from said =wire,-. means fori forming bent heads on said sections, a. receiver having openings for saidsections, andv means for distributing -said sections in-theopenings of .said receiver-,t the last named` means including devices for impartingI step by step advancingmotions to lsaid receiver to bringvarious -openingstherein in position; to-receive said sections.

' 4. In combination, means for feeding a wire in the direction of the length, means for severing sections from said wire, means for forming bent heads on said sections, a receiver having openings for said sections, and means for distributing said sections in the openings of said receiver, the last named meansincluding devices for imparting step by step advancing motions to said receiver to bring Various openings therein in position to receive said sections, and means for frictionally restraining said receiver from overrunning movements.

5. In combination, a pair of clamp elements, means for feeding a wire between said clamp elements, means for effecting engagement of the wire by said clamp elements, a third clamp element cooperatingwith one of the first mentioned clamp elements, means for engaging the end of the wire beyond said third clamp element to bend the same about an edge of the third clamp element, and means for moving the third clampv element away from the wire to clear the end of the wire'being bent while theengaging means effects bending beyond a right angle.

6. In combination, a plurality of clamping means, means for feeding a wire thereto, means for effecting engagement of the wire by both of said clamping means, means for engaging an unclampedv end of the wire to bend the same about an 'edge of one of said clamping means, and means for moving the last mentioned clamping means away from the wire to clear the end of the wire being bent while the engaging means effects bending beyond a right angle.

7. In combination, c amping means, means for feeding a wire theret means for engaging an unclamped end of the wire and means for effecting, in sequence, clamping ofthe wire by said clamping means, bending of the end of the wire by said engaging means about an edge of the clamping means, release of the clamping means from the wire, and further bending of the end through a region previously' occupied by the clamping means while clamping the wire.

8. In combination, means for feeding a wire in the direction of its length, means for severing sections from said wire, means for forming bent ends on said sections, means for restraining said wire against reverse movement after a feeding operation, and means movable rearwardly along the wire after a feeding operation and while it is restrained against reverse movement for straightening the wire.`

9. In combination, meansr'for feeding a wire in the direction of its length, means for severing sections from said wire, means for forming bent ends on said sectionsgmeans for restraining said Wire against reverse movement after a feeding operation, and means movable rearwardly along the wire after a feeding operation and while it is restained against reverse movement for straightening the wire, the lastI mentioned means being arranged, during movement relative to the wire, to form waves therein progressing along the wire;

l0. In combination, means for feeding a wire in the direction of its length, means for severing sections from said wire, means for forming bent ends on said sections, means for restraining said wire against reverse movement after a feeding operation, and means movable rearwardly along the wire after a feeding operation and while it is restrained against reverse movement for straightening the wire, the last mentioned means being movable with the wire during the feeding operation.

11. In combination, means for simultaneously feeding-a plurality of wires along parallel lines in the direction of their lengths, means for severing sections from the' wires, means for forming bent ends on said sections, and means for clamping the wires, the last means comprising a pair of relatively movable members each provided with a plurality of ribs extending parallel to the direction of movement of the Wires.

12. In combination, means for feeding a wire, means for severing sections from the wire, and means for forming a bent end on the wirevadjacent. the point of severance of a preceding section, the last named means comprising means for effecting bending of the free end of the wire through substantially 180 into contact with the portion of the wire inside the bent end.

13. In combination, means for feeding a'wire, means for severing sections from the wire, and means for forming a bent end on the wire adjacent the point of severance of a preceding section, the last named means comprising means for deflecting out of line with the main portion of the wire an end portion thereof, and means for forminga bend of substantially 180 in said deected portion to bring two parts thereof into contact.

14. In combination, means for feeding' a wire, means for forming bent ends on sections ofthe wire, means for severing said sections from "the wire, a receiver having a plurality of openings therein, a tubular guide for directing severed sections tol the openings ofsaid receiver, and means 'for intermittently moving s aid receiver in timed relationship with the operation ofthe severing means to present the openings succes:

sively in receiving relationship with-said guide.

l5. In combination, means for feeding a plu# rality of wires, means for'forming bent endsfin sections of the wires, means for severing said sections from the wires, a receiver having a. plurality of sets of openings therein, the openings of each set being adapted to receive sections from the various wires, tubular guides, one for each wire, for directing severed sections to the openings of said receiver, and means for intermittently moving said receiver in timed relationship with the operation of the severing means to present successive sets of openings in receiving relationship with said guides.

HUGH N. VELEY. 

